Vintage Vibe

The Vintage Suitcase at Hvmboldt Place offers shoppers an eclectic inventory filled with antiques, furnishings and seasonal and home décor.

By Savannah Waszczuk

Photo by Debbie Young; Sara Lewis

	Vintage Suitcase
	Vintage Suitcase is a delightful collection of Christmas decor, vintage, new decor, and shabby chic. We are located in the Hvmboldt Mansion. Call for directions, 417-224-5300. 847 S. Scenic Ave., Springfield, MO 417-224-5300
	»Website

THE SHOP
Vintage Suitcase, located at Hvmboldt Place, 847 S. Scenic Ave., Springfield, 417-224-5300, robinsvintagesuitcase.com. Open for the Christmas open house Tues.–Fri., 10 a.m.–5 p.m. and Sat. 10 a.m.–1 p.m. through Dec. 15. The shop will be open monthly starting in January; check website for hours.

ATMOSPHERE
Vintage Suitcase is located in the refinished garage at Ms. Gilmore’s Carriage House. The carriage house is located at Hvmboldt Place, originally a 186-acre country estate property built in 1902, and the garage is believed to be where the carriages were once stored. As a seasonal venture, the place was dotted with gorgeous seasonal golds and oranges during the fall open house last October, and now it’s dressed with holiday décor for Christmas. There’s a ton of home décor on display, all arranged in a welcoming design. There are always desserts and treats available, including popcorn Gilmore makes with an old vintage popcorn machine. “We want ladies to come and make a day of it,” Gilmore says. Shoppers are invited to bring their lunch and roam the Hvmboldt Place property, which consists of 7.5 acres of beautiful gardens and fountains. And during the beginning of each open house, Gilmore has a themed dress-up kick-off event on the first Thursday night. For fall, it was a pajama party. “Anyone who dresses up gets 10 percent off their purchase,” Gilmore says.

KEY PEOPLE
Vintage Suitcase owner Robin Gilmore’s experience with retail and home décor started long before her new Springfield shop opened for business.

Five years after graduating high school, Gilmore opened The Emporium, a gift shop in Branson. To build this gift shop, a chunk of land was cleared and grapevine was removed. “I rolled up some of the grapevine and made some wreaths,” Gilmore says. And the word spread quickly. First a lady from Texas bought some and took them home. Then Gilmore had a florist in Texas calling and ordering grapevine wreaths, and soon, she received countless orders, one for $52,000. By 1977, she got involved in the wholesale business with her wreaths, and she continued until 1985. Next she started a painted dinnerware line, and in 2000, she moved to Springfield. Gilmore then had a shop in a tearoom and sold her painted dinnerware locally. In 2007, Gilmore and her husband Rick bought Ms. Gilmore’s Carriage House, a wedding venue they operate today. After coming home from a trip to Dallas last year, she told Rick that she’d like to open the Vintage Suitcase.

WHAT YOU’LL FIND
As the name implies, lots of vintage-style pieces are sold at the Vintage Suitcase. Gilmore purchases antiques and vintage home décor products at auctions and estate sales all across the country. On any given visit, you may find chandeliers from old churches, or suitcases purchased halfway across the country. You could even find ribbon and fabric Gilmore purchased in China, or a fine piece of silver, or a new serving dish. And you’ll almost always find furniture. Much of the furniture for sale has been refinished, and Gilmore does a lot of that work herself. You will also find items have been recycled and given a new purpose, and there is always seasonal décor for sale. And next door to the Vintage Suitcase is The Garden District, which sells a variety of garden items and birdcages, among other things.

417 VERDICT
The Vintage Suitcase gives ladies a great way to leisurely shop and enjoy the afternoon. There are a variety of one-of-a-kind home accessories, and many items that would make perfect gifts. This season, a day here would be a fabulous way to fit in a little Christmas shopping, and we can’t wait to see what Robin does with the place for spring.